Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing collection of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many players battling for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.